Richness, diversity, and factors influencing occupancy of mammal communities across human-modified landscapes in Colombia. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boron, Valeria; Deere, Nicolas J.; Xofis, Panteleimon; Link, Andres; Quiñones-Guerrero, Andres; Payan, Esteban; Tzanopoulos, Joseph
• Is Part Of: Biological conservation. Volume 232(2019)
• Page Start: 108
• Page End: 116
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Panthera onca -- Camera trap -- Bayesian statistics -- Land-use change -- Oil palm -- Pasture; Conservation of natural resources -- Periodicals; Nature conservation -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 333.9516
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.01.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3207

Abstract

Abstract: As human-modified landscapes are increasing in the tropics, it becomes critical to understand how they affect mammal communities to reconcile conservation and development. We combined land cover information and camera-trapping data to explore the effects of agricultural expansion on mammals in the Magdalena river valley of Colombia. We estimated species diversity, evenness, and dominance across two agricultural landscapes, modified by cattle ranching and oil palm cultivation. We further assessed which variables influence species- and community-level occupancy using multi-species occupancy models. Results highlight that modified landscapes display lower species richness, diversity and evenness, and higher dominance than more pristine sites. Residual forest cover and distance to water had significant effect on community occupancy (positive and negative respectively). Forests were particularly important for pumas, ocelots, lowland pacas, Central American agoutis, and crab-eating raccoons while wetlands had a positive effect on jaguars, the apex predator in the region. The influence of anthropogenic pressure was not clearly evident, though pastures were not valuable habitats for any mammal species, as they had a negative, yet not significant, effect on species and community occupancy. In light of rapidly expanding agriculture across the tropics, our findings highlight species-specific responses to disturbance that can inform land use planning and conservation policies. We stress the conservation value of forest and wetland habitat to mammal occupancy in heterogeneous ecosystems. Moreover, our results demonstrate that oil palm and crop expansion should target existing pastures, which displayed limited conservation value for Neotropical mammals but occupy vast swathes of land across Latin America. Highlights: Agriculture reduces community diversity and evenness, while increases dominance. Forests and vicinity to water increase species occupancy; pastures decrease it. Forest areas are crucial for pumas, ocelots, raccoons, pacas, and agoutis. Wetlands are important for jaguars, the apex predator. Key to maintain forests and wetlands and target future crop expansion on pastures.